Apple Airport express
Mar 24, 2009, 2:54 am
#1
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Apple Airport Express and Hotels
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I always travel with an airport express in order to create my own in-room wireless network in hotel rooms. This enables me to connect my wireless devices automatically and makes things easier.
I can only do that in hotels that have in-room Ethernet Internet access.
I thought I would start this thread to list hotels where using an airport express works or not. we could also post troubleshooting information.
So, who else packs an airport express with them?
I always travel with an airport express in order to create my own in-room wireless network in hotel rooms. This enables me to connect my wireless devices automatically and makes things easier.
I can only do that in hotels that have in-room Ethernet Internet access.
I thought I would start this thread to list hotels where using an airport express works or not. we could also post troubleshooting information.
So, who else packs an airport express with them?
Last edited by fredsxb; Mar 24, 2009 at 10:21 am
Mar 24, 2009, 7:27 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Tri-State Area
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Good idea. You might want to amend title of thread to Apple Airport Express and Hotels...
I bought AAE last summer on eBay and got it to work in my HCMC hotel but not in my HK hotels. In HK, got a 'signal' showing strong connection but that was it. When it worked, it was great - I also use TMO's H@H service and so with WiFi in my hotel room, could use my UMA BB 8820 to call stateside numbers free!
There was earlier thread about how to hack hotel security settings using first 2or 3 groups of Mac number....you might want to find a link and attach here also?
I bought AAE last summer on eBay and got it to work in my HCMC hotel but not in my HK hotels. In HK, got a 'signal' showing strong connection but that was it. When it worked, it was great - I also use TMO's H@H service and so with WiFi in my hotel room, could use my UMA BB 8820 to call stateside numbers free!
There was earlier thread about how to hack hotel security settings using first 2or 3 groups of Mac number....you might want to find a link and attach here also?
Mar 25, 2009, 7:52 am
#3
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I actually use one of the smaller linksys travel routers, which allows the user to connect TO a wireless network and then share that connection. Sometimes I share it via ethernet to power a slingcatcher, sometimes to another computer. I wish my APE would do that, then I would just carry it instead.
Apr 8, 2009, 8:20 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2000
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Oh, the linksys travel router. I'm not sure if it is still in this form or being sold, but available on craigs and ebay.
this is just a random post below, not for a recommendation or purchase or anything.
http://www.linksysbycisco.com/US/en/support/WTR54GS
this is just a random post below, not for a recommendation or purchase or anything.
http://www.linksysbycisco.com/US/en/support/WTR54GS
Apr 8, 2009, 8:22 am
#8
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I always travel with an Airport Express for the exact same purpose! ^^
These nifty devices are fantastic for creating a quick WiFi network using in-room Ethernet cords.
I usually first plug directly into my laptop to "activate" and pay the fee if applicable, though I try to stay at places that have free WiFi. Then, I set up the Airport Express in "bridge mode," and plug in the Ethernet cord. Works like a charm for my laptop and iPhone!
These nifty devices are fantastic for creating a quick WiFi network using in-room Ethernet cords.
I usually first plug directly into my laptop to "activate" and pay the fee if applicable, though I try to stay at places that have free WiFi. Then, I set up the Airport Express in "bridge mode," and plug in the Ethernet cord. Works like a charm for my laptop and iPhone!
Apr 9, 2009, 10:18 am
#9
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I always travel with an Airport Express for the exact same purpose! ^^
These nifty devices are fantastic for creating a quick WiFi network using in-room Ethernet cords.
I usually first plug directly into my laptop to "activate" and pay the fee if applicable, though I try to stay at places that have free WiFi. Then, I set up the Airport Express in "bridge mode," and plug in the Ethernet cord. Works like a charm for my laptop and iPhone!
These nifty devices are fantastic for creating a quick WiFi network using in-room Ethernet cords.
I usually first plug directly into my laptop to "activate" and pay the fee if applicable, though I try to stay at places that have free WiFi. Then, I set up the Airport Express in "bridge mode," and plug in the Ethernet cord. Works like a charm for my laptop and iPhone!
Apr 11, 2009, 7:08 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 73
how do you setup the profiles to work properly with the hotel spots.... I seem to recall doing this years ago (i had a home profile setup to extend my existing network, and a travel one to extend hotel ones)?
Do you just plug it in, look for it by name, then tweak? I totally forget how easy/hard it is. Meaning, do I just keep my home profile, setup a new one, and save the hotel settings under that one, or do I default to the new 'travel' profile (most likely all blanked out) before I leave?
What's the best practice re: profiles, etc.?
Thanks.
Do you just plug it in, look for it by name, then tweak? I totally forget how easy/hard it is. Meaning, do I just keep my home profile, setup a new one, and save the hotel settings under that one, or do I default to the new 'travel' profile (most likely all blanked out) before I leave?
What's the best practice re: profiles, etc.?
Thanks.
Apr 12, 2009, 1:52 am
#11
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AFAIK, you can't extend wireless hotel networks with an Airport Express. You can use it to share hotel Ethernet connections, that's all.
Using the WDS feature requires you to tweak some settings in the primary router which you won't have access to in a hotel! If you could replicate an already-existing wireless signal it'd be great but it isn't technically (i.e. without hacking at least) possible.
There's no need to create a particular profile for your airport express if you already use it to share an Ethernet Connection at home. However, if you use the WDS function at home then the settings will be different.
One thing to remember is to actually never plug the hotel Ethernet cable directly into your laptop, you should always plug it first into the Airport Express then wirelessly connect to AE with your laptop and follow the instructions as to how to pay/be charged for the connection in the hotel.
Most hotels will link billing to your MAC address, so if you set up the connection first when plugging their Ethernet cable directly to your laptop and then plugging the Ethernet cable to your AE in order to share the connection, there is a good chance that it won't work or ask you for billing authorization again (and you will be billed twice)!
You should just "view" your airport express as a wireless bridge between the Ethernet cable and your laptop/other electronics.
One weird thing though is that at some properties, I am sometimes, unable to detect my AE wireles signal. I wonder if it's because of saturated bandwidth/channels or active scrambling in order to prevent people from wirelessly sharing hotel connections! (I noticed this at MO SFO & Sofitel L.A. for instance). I tried to change the wireless channel, move the AE in the room; move my laptop but to no success. Has anyone encountered that problem before?
Using the WDS feature requires you to tweak some settings in the primary router which you won't have access to in a hotel! If you could replicate an already-existing wireless signal it'd be great but it isn't technically (i.e. without hacking at least) possible.
There's no need to create a particular profile for your airport express if you already use it to share an Ethernet Connection at home. However, if you use the WDS function at home then the settings will be different.
One thing to remember is to actually never plug the hotel Ethernet cable directly into your laptop, you should always plug it first into the Airport Express then wirelessly connect to AE with your laptop and follow the instructions as to how to pay/be charged for the connection in the hotel.
Most hotels will link billing to your MAC address, so if you set up the connection first when plugging their Ethernet cable directly to your laptop and then plugging the Ethernet cable to your AE in order to share the connection, there is a good chance that it won't work or ask you for billing authorization again (and you will be billed twice)!
You should just "view" your airport express as a wireless bridge between the Ethernet cable and your laptop/other electronics.
One weird thing though is that at some properties, I am sometimes, unable to detect my AE wireles signal. I wonder if it's because of saturated bandwidth/channels or active scrambling in order to prevent people from wirelessly sharing hotel connections! (I noticed this at MO SFO & Sofitel L.A. for instance). I tried to change the wireless channel, move the AE in the room; move my laptop but to no success. Has anyone encountered that problem before?
Apr 12, 2009, 1:26 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 73
Nice info!
Really helpful; yes I do use a WDS "home" profile; so what should be setup for an "away" one, so that you may connect to it and configure it properly (and should this profile be selected before you leave?) thanks!!!
A tutorial would be awesome.
EDIT: here's some info: http://thesmallwave.com/2008/04/17/a...-room-network/
This is similar to what I'm thinking: http://discussions.apple.com/thread....readID=1465407
My only concern is switching profiles and not being able to "see" the Airport Express again (I've had that problem once or twice requiring a full reset-- oops!).
Thanks!
(Also, just for clarification what fred means by MAC address is actually the hardware address that each device broadcasts-- so if you plug in your laptop, generally speaking, only that laptop will be able to connect (unless you pay again for another device to connect). This is why he mentions plugging in the Airport Express to use as the main base station).
Sorry, I'm a little fuzzy; it's been a few years (6?) since I traveled with an Airport Express, and I recall setting up profiles, but had to be careful with some settings re: losing visibility.
Really helpful; yes I do use a WDS "home" profile; so what should be setup for an "away" one, so that you may connect to it and configure it properly (and should this profile be selected before you leave?) thanks!!!
A tutorial would be awesome.
EDIT: here's some info: http://thesmallwave.com/2008/04/17/a...-room-network/
This is similar to what I'm thinking: http://discussions.apple.com/thread....readID=1465407
My only concern is switching profiles and not being able to "see" the Airport Express again (I've had that problem once or twice requiring a full reset-- oops!).
Thanks!
(Also, just for clarification what fred means by MAC address is actually the hardware address that each device broadcasts-- so if you plug in your laptop, generally speaking, only that laptop will be able to connect (unless you pay again for another device to connect). This is why he mentions plugging in the Airport Express to use as the main base station).
Sorry, I'm a little fuzzy; it's been a few years (6?) since I traveled with an Airport Express, and I recall setting up profiles, but had to be careful with some settings re: losing visibility.
Last edited by iomatic; Apr 12, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Apr 12, 2009, 4:15 pm
#13
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I don't mess around with profiles because I never use the Airport Express at home--it just sits in my luggage, ready to go anytime, because I travel so much and never know when I will find myself at a non-WiFi hotel.
As far as the MAC address registration goes, I've never found it to be an issue. Usually, I simply bridge the Ethernet network so that there is no funny business with DHCP.
As a result, oftentimes whenever I boot up my laptop or iPhone (even after I've already been connected previously), the browser initially will show the screen that says "we are detecting your room number" or something similar, even if I was connected very recently. It's no big deal.
Come to think of it, I haven't had to use the Airport Express at hotels where the Internet access costs money, because those hotels already had WiFi. So, no problem with MAC addresses there.
As far as the MAC address registration goes, I've never found it to be an issue. Usually, I simply bridge the Ethernet network so that there is no funny business with DHCP.
As a result, oftentimes whenever I boot up my laptop or iPhone (even after I've already been connected previously), the browser initially will show the screen that says "we are detecting your room number" or something similar, even if I was connected very recently. It's no big deal.
Come to think of it, I haven't had to use the Airport Express at hotels where the Internet access costs money, because those hotels already had WiFi. So, no problem with MAC addresses there.
Aug 5, 2009, 10:10 am
#14
Join Date: Oct 2007
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I want to use my AE to setup a wireless connection between the hoteles ethernet connection and 2 laptops and an iphone. Will I have to pay the £15 fee for each device, or will the AE have its own MAC address, so I only have to pay it once? Thanks.
Aug 5, 2009, 10:26 am
#15
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£15 for internet? That's crazy.